Persevere, Network and Continue to Explore New Tech with Erik St Martin
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Erik St Martin
Erik St Martin has been a Web Developer, a Software Engineer and a System Architect. He is passionate about all things Go, Kubernetes, Containers, Distributed Systems and Information Security. Erik is currently a Principal Cloud Developer Advocate for Microsoft Azure, who is actively involved in the OSS community.
In this episode, Phil and Erik St Martin discuss the need for those who are just starting out to push through the early part of the learning curve. They also talk about the importance of networking and how to do it, including, one quite unusual approach Erik uses. He shares why he is not afraid to spend time playing with new concepts and languages. As well as why you should be prepared to push the boundaries.
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Resources
ErikStMartin.com – Check out Tom’s website!
2 Top Career Tips
1) If you want a career in I.T. you have to persevere. In the beginning, the learning curve is very steep, which is why a lot of people give up. But, pushing through that stage brings big rewards. Most I.T. careers start slowly, before taking off, often, at a stratospheric rate.
2) Don´t get hung up on deciding what you want to end up working on, especially at the start of your career. At that stage, everything you do is building a foundation for your future. What you do then is going to lead to all sorts of opportunities further down the line. So, be open to trying new things.
Show Notes
Worst Career Moment
At one stage, Erik had been burned by a couple of start-ups he had worked for. The last one had him and his team working 16 hour days, 7 days a week, for several months. When he pointed out that this was unsustainable, his boss´s response led to him leaving. In fact, things got so bad that he had planned to leave the tech industry. In the podcast, he shares why he decided to stay.
Career Highlight
Getting a job with Disney was huge. It gave him the chance to work with some fantastic tech and on really interesting projects, for example, Disney´s Magic Bands. But, Erik is most proud of the GOTO conference he organises. In particular, the contribution it makes to the GO programming community and beyond.
The Future
The fact that 10 years from now, at least 100 new techs will have emerged is exciting. Erik also predicts that, in the future, far more people will be able to progress up the ladder without having to reluctantly go into management.
The Reveal
What first attracted you to a career in I.T.?
At first, I.T. was his hobby. So, when he got offered money to do it, he could not resist.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Never turn down an interview. Even if you are not ready to jump, you never know what will come of it.
What is the worst career advice you’ve ever received?
You need to go into management to be successful.
If you had to begin your career again in today’s world, what would you do?
When offered opportunities, Erik would say yes more often. At the start of his career, he often turned things down because he thought he was not qualified enough.
What career objectives are you currently focusing on?
Right now, Erik´s focus is on teaching. He does not really have hard and fast career objectives.
What’s the number one non-technical skill that has helped you in your career so far?
Creative problem-solving. Once you start doing it you will be amazed by what you can achieve.
What do you do to keep your own career energized?
Teaching helps to motivate Erik. But, hearing about the new things developers are doing in other fields is what really excites and energizes him.
What do you do in your spare time away from technology?
Erik has kids, so wryly states that he mostly does what they want to do. He also plays the guitar and is taking singing classes.
Contact The Guest
Contact Erik St Martin through the following social media platforms:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/erikstmartin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikstmartin
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